1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to material handling attachments for work vehicles and, more particularly, to a utility trailer with an opening tailgate assembly for a garden tractor or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Maintenance of one""s lawn, landscaping and garden is a seemingly never-ending task. Depending upon the size of the yard/garden, there are a countless number of chores that require the attention of the owner. Mowing the lawn, raking, trimming, mulching, pulling weeds, planting, the list goes on and on. One popular tool used by many to aid in the growth and beauty of one""s lawn and/or garden is the garden tractor used with a utility trailer. This combination makes quick work of transporting mulch, topsoil, gravel and other similar products. Their use however requires the user to not only load the trailer with these products but unload them as well. Not only does this take time and physical effort for the homeowner, it also translates into increased operating time and cost for the professional. Additionally, those users who are elderly or physically disabled find it difficult to repeatedly bend over to open the tailgate, tip the trailer, empty the contents, reattach the trailer, close the tailgate and so on.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related.
The following patents disclose an electrically-operated material handling attachment for a garden tractor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,013 issued in the name of Thompson et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,595 issued in the name of Thompson et al.
The following patents describe a dump cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,765 issued in the name of Wirsbinski
U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,974 issued in the name of Stafford
U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,474 issued in the name of Linn
U.S. Pat. No. 5,364,224 issued in the name of Padgett discloses a portable, tiltable hopper assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,533 issued in the name of Holm et al. describes a tractor with an implement lift system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,795,305 issued in the name of Friend discloses a cable-operated loader apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,197 issued in the name of Schweigert describes a multi-purpose cart and grass catcher.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,756 issued in the name of Merkel discloses a grass catching receptacle for dumping and bagging.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,141 issued in the name of Schweigert describes a multi-purpose cart and grass catcher.
Consequently, a need has been felt for a means by which the user of a garden tractor trailer can simply empty the contents of the trailer from the seat of the garden tractor with minimal physical effort.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide for. Briefly described according to one embodiment of the present invention, a trailer si provided for use with a garden tractor with an integral unloading mechanism. The floor of the container box consists of moving conveyor belt suspended between two rollers. The conveyor is connected to a hand crank located at the front corner of the box near the hitch. Also located near the crank is an actuating lever that opens the spring-loaded tailgate. Thus the driver of the garden tractor can operate the invention from the seat of the tractor, by simply turning around. The invention is particularly useful for those who may be physically impaired or find it difficult to repeatedly bend over to operate a conventional cart.
The use of the present invention allows the unloading of topsoil, mulch, gravel and other similar products from a garden tractor trailer in a simple, quick, and easy manner.